youtube/watch?v=j-yh5XPzZyI This is the way ships were launched at Bethlehem Shipyard in Beaumont when I worked there as a college student one summer. I was fortunate enough to get to see a 700 plus foot vessel into the Neches that we helped build. The only big difference I see is that they had us tie dozens of coils of hawser ropes from the shore to the vessel. The coils were then tied with smaller ropes (probably 2) over and over again. When the ship slid into the water, the coil ties would break as the slack was pulled out, Finally, the large hawsers would break but it was gradually slowing the momentum of the ship. There were also tugs waiting in the Neches to assist in stopping the ship so it wouldnt ground in the mud on the opposite bank. Old school mates David Bishop, James Nichols and Bruce Langley worked there with me the same summer.
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 13:01:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015